Racing game



Feb. 19, 1929.

E. V. BABBITT RAC I NG GAME Filed Sept. 1l, 1924 metal, such as Wood for the base Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE EDWIN V. BABBITT, OF FAIRHAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL TOY CORPORATION, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F HAS- SACHUSETTS.

` RACING GAME.

Application filed September 11, `1924. SerialNo. 737974:;v

This invention relates to a racing .rame embodied in a machine by which two or more objects mayV be moved independently of one another by a like number of contestants or la 7ers throuffh mechanism. The movin@r obi b b jects may simulate men, horses, automobiles, or any other animals, machines, or what not between which races may be arranged.

The object of the invention is to produce a game apparatus of this nature in which the speed imparted tothe moving objects by the competing players affords a real test of the skill of the players and the coordination between their mental and physical powers. A further object is to embody such qualities or characteristics of the game in an apparatus of such simple and inexpensive construction that it may be purchased by large numbers of the public interested in such games; and also to make the apparatus of such dimensions and so light in weight that it may be used for amusement in homes, when supported on any convenient table or stand, and may belaid away when not in use, notrequiring a special standard. y

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred practical embodiment of the inventioin- Figure 1 is a plan view of my racing game apparatus partly broken away. r

Figure 2 represents a cross section of the apparatus taken on line 2-7-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing` in detail the manually operated propelling mechanism for one of theracing objects.

Like reference characters designate the same parts in all the figures wherever they occur. i

The case or outer' frame is preferably siniilar to a circular pan, having a bottom f1 and a cylindrical side wall 5, which may be made of sheet metal, in one or` more pieces, fabricated according to any of the methods known j to the arts of the tinsniiths and sheetinetal workers. This casing or pan may bel made of any convenient dimensions. For instance, I have made the casing in-one of my designs with a diameter of about eleven inches, but it may be larger or smaller than that. It may also be made of other materials than sheet and pastehoard for the side wall, since the side wall is not called upon to bear any substantial stresses. Its only duty is to support a plate this ratchet wheel to the or table 6, representing a race track,` and to enclose the operating mechanism which is placed beneath this plate or table. ,I i have here shown such late or table as resting u on an annular shelf?? secured to the encirc ing wall. 1 j

y For supporting the racing objects and the propelling mechanism, I have provided a secondary .f1-aine which is mounted on the base within the surrounding WaILThs secondary frame consists of three or more bar-S8, 9 and 10, respectively, placed one over another in parallel and secured at their ing and spacing blocks 11, l2 and 13, `the means for thus securing the bars and blocks being conveniently bolts 14 which also secure the entire frame structure to the base 4. `A

shaft 15 has its bearings in thelower` and intermediate bars 8 and 9, and in a sleeve or tubular shaft 16, which latter has a bearing in the uppermost bar `10 and surrounds the inner shaft 15. These two shafts carry respectivelyarms 17 and 18 on the ends of which are j mounted the racinf objects `19 andfZO.` i Such arms and racing o jects are located so that they will pass one another withoutinterference. u The arm 17 `is secured to a block 21 which is screwed on the inner shaft l5 and "is y additionally made fast by a set screw 22; and the arm 18 is connected to a similar block or u nut 23 which is screwed on the tubular shaft and further secured by a set screw `24. Thus, by rotatingthe shafts, the racingob'ects are causedto travel aroundthe track, an according as either of the shaftsis turned faster than the other the racing object carried by that shaft gains on the other racing object.

I have shown here as the` racing objects running horses carrying mounted jockeys. I will, therefore, in the following description generally refer tothese objects as horses; but

since numerousother and specifically diii'erent objects, simulating other racers, may be substituted for these horses, it will be understood that in thus designating the objects I have not intended any limitation in the scope of my protection as to theseobjects.

- There is secured tothe inner shaft 15between the frame bars `8 and 9, a ratchet wheel 25. A convenient means for thus connecting shaft comprises threading it upon the shaft and clamping it between nuts 26 and 27, which are also threaded on the shaft. A second ratchet wheel 28 is Vting the spring 36 under stress.

similarly secured to the tubular shaft 16 between the bars 9 and 10. These ratchet wheels may be supported by the bars next below them and may thus support their connected shafts.

l have provided similar mechanisms Alor driving both atchet wheels. rlhese mechanisms are shown both in Figures l and Q, and the one for driving the upper ratchet wheel 28 is shown in complete detail in Figure 3 and will now be described.

A paWl carrier 29 is arranged to oscillate about the tubular shaft 16 and is provided with a pawl 30 arranged to cooperate with the abutments or teeth ot' the ratchet wheel. AsA here shown the pawl carrier is made ot a strip of thin, resilient sheet metal, prete ably spring steel, and the pawl 30 is formed by a spur partly severed irom one edge of the pawl carrier and bent down so as to engage the ratchet wheel. The resilience oi the pawl carrier itselil provides the :'fzpring` which engages the pawl with the ratchet and allows the pawl to be disengaged in its backward movement, and the inclination which is given to one edge of the spur forming` the pawl is the means which causes such disengagement. Preferably the ratchet wheel a disk stamped from sheet metaloi greater thickness and rigidity than the pawl carrier, and the teeth or abutments of the wheel are made by punching` holes 3l near the rim of the disk, the material between such holes being the teeth.

A bell crank lever 32 is pivoted to one end of the lower spacing block l2 and has one arm which passes through the encircling lwall of the case and carries a linger piece or trigger 33 accessible tor depression by a digit of the player. The second arm 3l of the bell crank lever is inside ot the wall and is connected with. the pawl carrier by means of a link 35, the opposite ends of which are suitably connected by pivots to the bell crank and to the down turned end et' the paivl carrier arm 29. A spring 3G is connected at one end to the 'Ja-wl carrier n'eterabl b Y formino its endV .7 r 7** into a hook and passing such hook through the tubular rivet which serves as the pivot between the pawl carrier and the link. The other end ot this spring is connected to a bar or rod 3T which is secured to and projects from the spacing block at the opposite end of the inner Jtrame. This spacingl block is thus, in etlect. the abutment Vwhich takes the renction ot' the spring.

1 ln the arrangement ot the mechanism as here organized depression ot' the linger piece or key 33 causes the pawl to be retracted from t-he ratchet tooth with which it was previous ly engaged and brought into engagement with the next ratchet tooth; at the same time put- Upon release1 of the key the spring moves the pawl forward, at the same time turning the ratchet wheel and propelling forward through one step the horse which is connected "to that wheel. lt is possible, of course, to reverse the arrangement of inOer key and spring, and to apply the operators pressure as the force ior propelling the horse and rely on the spring tor retracting the pawl. Such a reversal is within the protection which l claim.

A holding pawl 38, preferably o't similar construction to the driving pawl, that is, made with a spul' 40, struck down 'from one edge of a resilient spring strip, is arranged to prevent backward movement ot the ratchet, being threaded at one end over the tubular shaft and at the other end over a pin Lil which passes through the bars of the traine.

A similar propelling mechanism tor the shaft l5 and horse 19 is designated by the saine reference characters applied to corresponding parts except that its linger key is distinctively designated by the numeral 42.

The contestants playingv this naine station themselves so that each can manipulate his key 38 or ft2 with one digit. Each contestant then endeavors, by rapidly ii'ibrating his key, to drive his own racing horse Afaster than that ot his opponent. Each depression of the key drives the horse forward through one step of the ratchet. In the actual apparatus the number of steps in one revolution is substantially greater than indicated in the drawings, 'for in said drawings the holes 230 have been made much larger in proportion and more widely spaced than in the commercial apparatus, for clearness ot illustration. Hence a very rapid vibration ot the keys is required to develop speed in the horses, and this requires the players to use all their resources ot dexterity and muscular control in the e'ort to win the race.

Although l have shown the apparatus as equipped with only two racers to be driven by two contestants, it is evident that the principles of the mechanism here illustrated are capable ot indelinite extension to accommodate any number oi contestants, limited only bythe outside dimensions of the apparatus.

The apparatus is capable ot being made a 3 small. expense, since not only may the pawls and atchets be stamped from sheet metal, as previously stated, but also the key leversI and connecting links may be ot similar materials. and the links may be ot the thinnest and lightest character, since the fy are not required to be stift. The bars S, 9 and l0 of the iti-anic may also be ot sheet or rolled strip metal and the supporting and spacing blocks may be ot wood. The bars are spaced apart at the shafts by the interposed ratchets, nuts, bolts and washers, shown in Figure 2, and any way are not subjected to lateral stresses that even for these members no great stiil ness is required and they also may be made of light material.

l.Vhile that feature o't the apparatus which involves propellingjf the racers by means et a key through a tapping motion et the players lill) linger is of particular value, and is, therefore, claimed as an important feature of the invention, nevertheless I may drive the racers by other means, and in that phase of the invention which is concerned primarily with the characteristics of the apparatus adapting it to widespread use, the character of the means for receiving the power from the operator is of secondary importance. Hence as to these aspects of the invention, the protection which I claim may include other specific primary driving means. i

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A racing game apparatus comprising a plurality of independently rotatable ratchet wheels, separate pavvls for said ratchet wheelssprings associated independently with the several pawls and organized to apply force thereto in -the ratchet-propelling direction. and separate key levers connected to said pawls for retracting them after their propellingr movements, each lever being arranged to be operated by a contestant, and racing objects connected respectivelyto the ratchet wheels and driven in prescribed courses by said wheels.

2. A racing game apparatus comprising racing objects independently movable in prescribed paths, a. ratchet Wheel coupled to each of said racing objects and adapted to drive the same progressively forward in its prescribed path when the ratchet wheel is rotated step by step, a pawl complemental to each ratchet wheel, a spring connected to each pawl for moving it in the propelling direction, and a vibratory key lever connected to each pawl for retracting it and arranged to be operated by a tapping movement of the operators finger.

3. A racing game apparatus comprisingr a frame, coaxial shafts, one Within another, supported by the frame and each being rotatable independently of the other, ratchet wheels secured to each of said shafts, pawls complemental to each of the ratchet wheels and mounted to oscillate about the common axis of said shafts, operator-impelled vibratory key levers coupled to said pawls respectively, and racing objects connected to and driven by the respective Shafts.

4. A racing game apparatus comprising coaxial shafts, one within another, a ratchet wheel secured to each of said shafts, a pawl cooperating with each ofsaid ratchet wheels, each pawl comprising a spring metal strip mounted to oscillate about the axis of the shafts as a pawl carrier and having a spur struck down to engage the ratchet wheel as a pawl, means for vibrating said pawls, and racing objects connected to the respective shafts.

A racing game apparatus comprising independent-ly movable racing objects constrained to travel in prescribed paths, ratchet wheels coupled to the several objects adapted to propel them progressively forward with astep by step motion, pawls cooperating with the several ratchet wheels, operatorcontrolled key levers coupled to said pawls for retracting them after forward propelling movements, and driving springs connected to said pawls for imparting propelling movement thereto when said key levers'are released.

6. A racing gaine ap aratus comprising an outer casing, an inner iiame within said casing composed of a plurality of separated bars arranged above one another, coaxial shafts rotatably mounted in said bars, one of said shafts being Within another and projecting below such other, a ratchet wheel mounted on the proJecting part of said inner shaft bey tween two of the frame bars, another ratchet wheel mounted on the outer shaft between other bars of the frame, operator-controlled pawls cooperating with the several ratchet wheels to propel them step by step, and racing objects separately connected to the said shafts to be propelled forwardly b rotation thereof. In testimony whereof Iyhave affixed my signature.

EDWIN v. inlinnrrr.` 

